KILWA
A coastal region on the Indian Ocean, Kilwa is located about 186 miles (300 kilometers) from Dar es Salaam in the eastern coast of Tanzania. It is divided into various small settlements which include Kilwa Masoko, Kivinje, and Kisiwani with Sanje Ya Kiti and Songo Mnara. Kilwa was once a prominent trading hub on Africa’s east coast. It was first established as a port of the Swahili civilization at the start of the 9th century and later served as a busy and very wealthy commercial center. Kilwa was also the meeting ground for traders traveling in Africa and carting commodities from regions neighboring Tanganyika at that time. They brought precious gold reserves from Zimbabwe to Kilwa via Sofala that is now in Mozambique.
What you should know about Kilwa
Kilwa’s significance as a port town is very much evident when you tour the two UNESCO World Heritage Sites i.e. the Ruins of Kisiwani and the Ruins of Songo Mnara, Kisiwani and Songo Mnara were two port cities located on two different islands off the coast of Kilwa. Kisiwani is the bigger of the two and these islands prospered for ten centuries between the 9th and 19th century. It was in the 13th and 14th centuries that they reached the zenith of their influence on trade because they controlled all activity in the Indian Ocean with the countries of Africa, Arabia and Asia i.e. India and China.
Kilwa Kisiwani also established its own currency and the islands commodities such as gold and ivory coming from the interiors of Africa were exchanged for shining silver, incenses, carnelians which are a kind of reddish semi-precious stones, Persian earthenware decorated with colored, metallic glaze and Chinese ceramics, from beads to pottery.
GALLERY
Where to stay in Kilwa
We offer beach front mobile campsite. Kilwa has excellent tropical weather for you if you prefer a sunlit holiday in Tanzania during the months from June to October. It is warm and dry with a cool breeze; though humidity levels are high.